375 Days Later...
Mood:  happy

It's been almost a year since I've last wrote.  The reasoning is simple.  It was too hard to talk about life on deployment without including the details that I couldn't provide.  It's not that I was doing anything "secret squirell" or anything.  -Just normal day to day life, but everything is scrutinized and it was just easier to say nothing all.

But I am on my way home now!  I am currently sitting in a bar in Manas, Kyrgyzstan, awaiting my flight to somewhere in Europe (either Nurnberg or Aviano.  -Or maybe Venice...)  The bar is called Pete's Place, named after a fallen Firefighter here on the American Air Base.  In not sure if he was universally liked, or it he just dank a lot, but now "Pete" has a "Place" that serves beer and other ARBs (adult recreational beverages).  There's also pool, ping-pong, darts, popcorn, and loud music (sometimes live!).  War is hell, here in Manas.

It means nothing to me to be sitting here.  I don't drink.  Some of the guys I am here with are having serious issues with watching the alcohol being consumed by people that aren't them.  One of them actually said, "I'm going to sit by the bar, so at least I can smell it..."  I'd think he had a problem, but he's been dry for a year (minus R&R) so his problem can't be that pronounced...

A year in Afghanistan was certainly a challenge.  To quote another Staff Officer, also a Major, "I've never worked so hard at a jobh, day in and day out, and still felt EVERY DAY that I was on the verge of getting fired."  It was a demanding tour.  I didn't realize how tired I was until I arrived at Manas.  I slept 14-hours last night.  The guys came to get me for dinner, but apparently couldn't wake me up!

I am VERY happy to be returning home to Kimberly and Jacoby, and am looking forward to both of my next two leave periods.  The first is Block Leave, which I will take in January.  We are going on an Eastern Med. Cruise, which I'll write more about on some other post.  The second will be Kimberly and me going to Pennsylvania to watch Sabrina graduate from college.

That's about all for now.  The point behind this post is just to say that I am on the way home, that I'm no longer in Afghanistan, and that the posts should return to a somewhat normal schedule, whatever that means.

 Take care!

New Year's Day
Mood:  happy

I have received a few questions regarding how we spent our holidays in Afghanistan.  My gut reaction is to reply, “It’s just another day.”  -But that’s not entirely true.  There are differences.

Some of our regular meetings get canceled on holidays. 

We tend to “sleep in” to about 7:00am.

The DFAC serves special meals.  Christmas and Thanksgiving was as you would expect.  New Years was steak and fried shrimp.

The fact is I wasn’t even “home” for New Years.  Here’s the whole story…

SSG Howard and I were supposed to go to CAMP DUBS from the 1^st to the 3^rd of January.  The intent was to provide some communications support to help out the signal team out there.  SSG Howard would provide help with systems installation and I would do some site planning. 

Let me pause here to say this:  I love CAMP DUBS.  It’s a neat little place with comfortable living conditions, a good DFAC, and an awesome mission.  These are the guys that are “partnered” with the Afghan Army, proving daily training, mentoring, and assistance.  It’s very similar to my last “life” in the Baghdad International (“Green”) Zone.  I was looking forward to this trip, first because there was work to be done, and second, because it was CAMP DUBS!

On 31 DEC, I was standing near the Finance office when SSG Howard approached and said, “Sir, Did you hear that we are leaving in two hours?”

“Huh?”

“Roger.  There is a flight leaving in two hours for CAMP Dubs.”

Okay, so now it’s time to scramble a little bit.  The bags stay packed, so to speak, so this isn’t a problem.  I walked to the TOC and confirmed with the Aviators and the Brigade Executive Officer that yes, there is a flight today, I’m supposed to be on it, and it would come back and pick me up at 2030 (8:30p) tonight.

This is disappointing to me.  I thought I’d at least spend the night…

I spoke with the XO (Executive Officer) about how this was supposed to be a three-day trip.  His reply, “SSG Howard can stay.  You need to get back here.  If you get there and assess that you need more time, let me know.”

Okay, got it.  I’m coming back.

We scrambled a bit to get the parts and equipment SSG Howard would need in CAMP DUBS loaded onto the aircraft and got ourselves ready to go.  Then, armed with my “72-hour bag” (just in case! Never leave home without it!), we climbed aboard a couple of Blackhawks and departed for CAMP DUBS.

I got my job done in enough time to get some dinner prior to returning to the office area to gather my gear, back-brief SSG Howard on priorities of work, and head to the flight line.  The timing was about right as we had about 2-hrs prior to the aircraft arrival.  Time to go to “PZ Posture.” (PZ stands for pick-up zone.  It’s where the helicopter lands.  PZ Posture is just being in the right place ready to go…)

It’s as we were saying our good-byes that we started hearing rotary blades.  Blackhawks in-bound.  Two-hours early.  We are NOT ready.

The three of s that were going back exchanged a panicked look.  We confirmed with the CAMP DUBS personnel that they were NOT expecting any other flights.  We climbed into our gear, raced to the truck, and hurried our way through the 5-minute drive to the PZ.

…Just in time to swallow all of the dust the helicopter kicked up during takeoff.  Missed it.

We went back to the offices, called around to find out what went wrong.  Why was the flight 1hr and 40minutes early?  Why didn’t someone let us know?  Are they coming back?

All questions answered, we were told they would not be back until the next morning.  Officially, I was pretty upset.  I don’t like being left behind.  I knew the boss wanted me back.  The flight was 1hr and 40minutes early!  I knew I’d be teased for not making the flight.  Unofficially, I had finished my job on CAMP DUBS.  I now had nothing better to do but get some sleep.  Heck, I even have time to read some before I do!  Not a bad thing by any stretch!

I settled in to the office area to participate in a briefing that I was going to miss because of the flight.  Our gear was stored, our rooms for the night assigned.  After the briefing, I’d be done for the night.

Then 1SG Young’s cell phone went off.  1SG Young was one of the other two travelers with me.  It was a text message.  “Be there in 5-minutes.  Listen for blades.”

Crud!  They ARE coming back!

Again with the mad rush to secure our gear, pile into the truck and race for the PZ.  Again with the arrival just in time to see it leave.

A new text message arrived on 1SG Young’s phone.  “Need fuel.  30-minutes.”

No problem.  We’ll wait.

30-minutes later, “BINGO.  See you tomorrow.”  BINGO means they couldn’t get fuel and had to go.  We were spending the night.  Internal monologue:  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!  TWICE IN ONE NIGHT?!?!?  I’M GOING TO CRUSH SOMEONE!   Next thought:  YES!  WHERE’S MY BOOK?

We settled in for the night, being told the flight would return at 1:30p the next day.  We woke up, got our gear together, and hit PZ Posture at 10:00a.  We weren’t taking chances. 

New Year’s day found me standing in the cold at a PZ in CAMP DUBS.  I read a few chapters the night before.  I slept well.  I ate breakfast.  I was in good company with 1SG Young, CPT Mecham, and MAJ Mizell.  I won’t say that spending New Years day in this manner was fun.  I will say that it was an Honor for me to spend it in this place, with these people.

The aircraft landed at 12:30p, an hour early.  We approached the aircraft.  Over the roaring engines, the crew chief shouts in my ear, “Where are you going?”

I yelled back “SHANK!”

He shakes his head, “Not going there!”

“Where are you going?”

“AIRBORNE!”

“Good enough!  I need to go there anyway!”

We climbed on board and arrived at FOB AIRBORNE shortly thereafter.

For me, this was basically the same trip.  Stop by the Battalions’ Tactical Operation Centers (TOCs).  Find out what their issues are.  Fix what I can, take notes for what I can’t.  Come home with a better understanding of what’s going on at FOB AIRBORNE.

We were told that we would be spending the night on AIRBORNE, since nothing else was landing that day.  (CRUD!  I’VE GOT TO GET BACK!  -Another night of reading, once I get my work done. )   Outside of freezing all night (the tent was frigid and my little sleeping bag WASN’T getting the job done), it was a good stay on AIRBORNE.

We flew back to SHANK the next morning, my 5-hour trip taking 3-days to complete.

There you go.  New Year’s day in Afghanistan.

Laundry

We don’t do our own laundry.  There is a “self help” laundry facility available to us with a few machines and soap and such, but few of us have the time to go get that done.   Most of us go to one of the several contracted laundry points and drop off our dirty clothes, then return sometime later and pick it up.  It’s sort of clean, sort of dry, sort of folded (usually inside out).  Good enough for field work.  War is hell…

The laundry guy has become my buddy over the last month.  It all started when I went in the first time to drop off my bag.  I said, “It’s my first time, so I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to do.”  The guy looks at me and says…..Something.  I stare at him. 

Nope.  Didn’t get it. 

He says it again.  Same result.

He says it a third time. 

I say, “Sorry.  I have no idea what you are saying.”

He says, “You don’t understand me?”

I say, “Nope.  Sorry.”

He takes a big breath and says “First time?”

Ahhhhhh!  I got it that time!  “First time!  Yes! Yes, it is.  First time.”

He smiles and says, “Welcome.”

I hand him my bag and fill out the paper.

He looks at the paper and tries to say my last 4 (SSN, it’s how the laundry is tracked…And taxes). He gets it wrong.  I correct him with a smile.  He gets it right.  Success!

He hands me the slip and I say, “How do I say this in your language?”

He says my last four in accented, but understandable English.

I say, “No, in YOUR language.”

He says it.

I say it, poorly.

He says it again.

I say it much better, but still horribly wrong.

He says it again.

I say it.  “Pa-CHA-li-may-ti-ta-lee”

He bursts out “Pa-CHA-li-may-ti-ta-lee!”

I say it again.  I’m rockin’ now.  I got it!

He smiles, hands me my slip and says “Tomorrow.  3 o’clock.”  Okay.  I’ll pick up my laundry after 3pm tomorrow.  At busy times it takes as long as three days.

This goes on for two weeks, or about four visits.  I’ve seen him in the DFAC a few times.  A few times walking around outside.  Every time I see him he gives me a big smile and says “Hello, Sir!  Pa-CHA-li-may-ta-ti-lee!”

I smile, say it back and drive on…

Last week, my first pickup, I showed up as I was told, 3pm the next day.  I sign for my bag and happen to look down the form.  I’m the only guy on the form who’s laundry is ready.  That’s odd, but okay.

I go back to my room.  Put away the clean clothes, pack up the dirty clothes and go back to drop off the load.  Now there are two soldiers ahead of me in the laundry line, finishing their paperwork.  For whatever reason, they stop and count out all of their clothes.  Re-stuff the bag, and then sign their forms.  The guy says to them “Three days.”  They acknowledge and walk away.

I hand the guy my bag.  He is noticeably “miffed”  He says “These people!  They count their things.  One sock.  Two sock.  It takes too long!  I am busy!  It’s just me here!  I wash, I dry, I fold.  I’m no thief!  Have you had any trouble?”

“Nooooooo.”

“They take too long!  -I tell them 3-days!”

He hands me back my paper and says, “Tomorrow, 3 o’clock.”

How we're living
Mood:  happy

I live in a B-hut.  I’m not entirely sure what that means.  In Kosovo, I lived in a C-hut.  It looked about the same.  I can’t help but wonder why, alphabetically speaking, I’m moving in the wrong direction.   Maybe it’s like a report card and ‘B’ is better than ‘C.’  Seriously, I have no idea.

 

I have seven roommates in my B-hut.  We each have a “room.”  “Room” is in quotes, because what it really is plywood and 2x4s nailed together to create privacy and boundaries.  It’s sort of like a cubical farm at a corporation or Government building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beside my B-hut is a portalet and a dumpster.  Behind it is a bunker.  There are other B-huts in the other two directions. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The truth is that I have a really nice room, compared to several.  When they built out the cubical walls, they started in the center of the building with the best of intentions.  However, they made the center rooms too big, so they get systematically smaller towards the building ends.  I was the first here from my Brigade, so I got EXACTLY the room I wanted…the one in the center.

 

My room is the size of a double-bed, with a trunk at the foot of it.  I actually have a twin-sized bed, which is much better than a cot!  Beside the bed is a bath mat functioning as a carpet.  Then the curtain “wall” that marks by boundary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the wall, at the foot of the bed is the hanging clothes bar.  There is roughly two feet of space between the wall and the foot of the bed.  My trunk sits against the wall, under the handing clothes.  I sit on that (hunched forward) when I get dressed in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really, it doesn’t sound like much, but we are living really well, here.  The building is adequate.  The bed is comfortable.  The room is better than most.  Things could be a lot worse.

 

Take care!

- Ryan

Let's talk about food!
Mood:  happy
The DFAC, short for Dining Facility, is a tent. Actually, it is several tents, all strung together and built over the top of a plywood/linoleum floor. It is heated. It has a main line, that serves most of your large meal items, and short order line, serving hamburgers, grilled ham and cheese, french fries, egg rolls, and onion rings. At lunch there is a wrap bar. The wrap bar has egg salad, tuna salad, BLTs, and a “main” meat that changes daily between beef, chicken, pastrami, and turkey. Beef seems to be the most common.

 

Which reminds me of something I heard the other day. It wasn't me, and I didn't verify, but I did hear it from someone and so it must be true, right? So this guy sees a picture of a goat. Under the goat was the word “Beef.” The guy asked about it, and was told that in Afghanistan, “Beef” doesn't just refer to “meat from a cow.” It is actually meat from any animal without a split hoof. Who knows what I'm eattin'?

 

They also have a salad-and-sides bar.

 

Anyway, that's how the DFAC is laid out and I have to say that I'm happy with it. I've only had one meal in three weeks that I wasn't too happy with, and that's because there was no healthy option.

 

Monday's are my “no rules” day. That's the day were I get to eat what I want without worrying about it. I chose Monday, because that's Taco Night. I look forward to Taco Night. Last Monday they also had macadamia nut cookies. It was a good night.

 

-And Fridays are Surf-and-Turf (steak and shrimp). They also have crab, but I'm scared of that. Afghanistan is land-locked, isn't it?

 

For breakfast I always have instant oatmeal, fresh fruit, and a cup of mixed nuts. They have real food like any DFAC (omelets, waffles, bacon, sausage, etc) but I don't really do that. I've had the wrap and salad every lunch so far. Dinner is sort of hit or miss, but I generally find the healthiest thing available. -Except for Mondays.

 

That's it for the food report! Enjoy your day.

 

- Ryan

Creatures of Habit
 

I'm a creature of habit. I don't mean to be and I don't think I'm obsessive about it, but whatever worked for me today will likely work for me tomorrow and I'm good with that. My routine so far in this deployment is pretty simple:

 

1. Wake up.

2. Clean up.

3. Go to the Gym.

4. Return to room, get shower stuff.

5. Go take a shower.

6. Return to room, put on uniform.

7. Go to DFAC. Eat Breakfast.

8. Go to work.

That's it. At some point I'll stop and eat lunch and dinner, but until about 10:00p, that's pretty much it.

 

Two mornings ago, things went horribly wrong. Somewhere between (4) and (5), I was headed to the shower tents thinking about what I need to get done today. Arriving at the tent, I immediately noticed “somsing is not right!” I need to explain something before I go further.

 

The shower tents are really just large tents with a couple of benches for you to put your stuff on. One side of the tent has a curtain serving as a doorway that leads to the water trailer/shower stalls. So the scheme is that you walk into the tent, drop your stuff, pass through the curtain with your towel, take your shower, dry off, then return to the outer tent to retrieve your stuff and carry on with your day.

 

I arrived at the tent, started to toss my stuff on the same bench I've used for days, but then realized it wasn't there. I look around the tent. It's empty, but the walls are different. Then I start to hear voices from the water trailer. “Hmmm. Those don't sound like men.” I am now acutely aware that I am NOT where I thought I was. This is followed by feelings of sheer panic. “Oh, crap! I'm THAT guy! I'm in the Women's Shower Tent!!!” My next thought was obvious. “Get out! Get out, now! No one has seen you. You haven't seen anyone else. For the love of God, GET OUT!”

 

I spun around in my shower shoes. I took three large steps and completely exited the tent. Looking over my shoulder, I confirmed that nobody saw me. -And walked right into the Brigade Commander of the unit we are relieving. O6. COL. The Boss.

 

He looks at me.

 

I look at him.

 

He looks at the tent.

 

I look at him and say, “I was...The tent...I wasn't...It was supposed to be...THAT'S THE GIRLS' TENT!”

 

He continues to look at me.

 

I snap to attention, salute, and say ”Good Morning, Sir!”

 

He is still looking at me. He looks at the tent again. He comes back to me, and says “I think the one you are looking for is right there.” pointing to the next tent over.

 

Yep...I'm That guy.

No More Excuses...

Since the JMRC in Hohenfels, I've had other things to worry about than eatting right and exercising.  While Kimberly does her best to make sure I get healthy food at home, let's just say that while some people "fall off the diet wagon," I more-or-less lept from it.  Several soldiers in my section have said things like, "The diet starts on SHANK" or "I'll get back in shape once we are on the ground." 

Here we are...No more excuses...

I woke up this morning at 5:30a.  Was in the gym by 6:00.  Done by 7:00.  Showered, dressed, and ate breakfast by 7:45.  Now I'm sending this update at 8:15a.  This is how "Day One" unfolds...

Ellipical gliders at 6500ft, at 6:00 in the morning when you are already out of shape can be tough.  Some of the guys went for a short run this morning.  Apparently that's tougher. :)

I do have pictures to share, but I don't have a means to transfer them to this BLOG, yet.  I will soon.

Take care.  Time to get to work...

- Ryan

Out the door, again...
Mood:  incredulous

Okay, so I haven't updated this BLOG since July.  That probably means that nobody is reading this anymore...

By the time you've realized that this post is...well... posted, I will be "boots on the ground" in Afghanistan.  It'll be my third deployment, if you count Kosovo.

My sincere apologies to everyone I've ignored the last few months.  Perhaps now you understand why.  Between preparations for deployment taking time/energy and Operational Security requiring discretion, there just wasn't much to update.  I will post regularly during the deployment, including pictures where possible.

Take care...

Sorrento and Capri
Mood:  happy

Sorrento might as well be Ocean City.  It’s a neat little beach town with markets and food and trinkets, and night-life, etc, etc.  We got there with no difficulty, checked-in without incident, and headed out to see the town.  We shopped, ate dinner, shopped some more, then returned to the hotel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The whole point of being in Sorrento is that it was an easy hop in the morning to catch a ferry to Capri, an island that Sabrina has visited, but we had not.  Sabrina loved it, and wanted to go back, so we figured, why not?

We woke, ate breakfast, and caught the ferry to Capri.  Once on the Island, we walked, shopped, and climbed to the top for pictures.  After that, we caught a bus to Anacapri (the other town on the Island) in order to ride the chair-lift that Sabrina remembered to the top of the Island for more pictures (from a different place).  Then we walked to a place called the Blue Grotto.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Blue Grotto is a hole in the side of the cliff that you can take a row boat into, if you have a guide.  The opening is so small that you have to lay down in the boat or you ram your head into the walls of the cave.  Once inside, it opens up, revealing a sizable cave, and enough sunlight to see the walls of the cave.  The impressive part, though, is that the water is so clear that a majority of the sunlight comes from under the water, from outside the cave, so everything “sparkles” and the water appears to be glowing the beautiful blue color all around the cave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was closed to us because the waves were too rough that day.

Other than that, we were able to walk all the way to the opening along the cliff front using metal stairs and hand-rails.  We got bunches of pictures, saw the pretty blue water, and got splashed plenty by the waves.  Incredible!

Then we caught a bus back to Anacapri for lunch, then the bus back to Capri for shopping until our return ferry home.

Once back in Sorrento, we swam from the beach for a short while, then returned to hotel, changed, and went back into town for more shopping and dinner.

The next day, we returned to Rome via the same train routes, reversed.  We had plenty of time to kill, so we went BACK to the Hard Rock Café for lunch (it was THAT good), then returned to the train station to wait for our train home.

We arrived home last night, about 11:30p.

Hope you enjoyed the read!

Rome
Mood:  happy

There is no way I could possibly do this trip justice, neither in text, nor the photos.  There was just too much of it to explain.  We took well over 800 pictures in the four days we were there, and stayed busy every day, doing as much as we possibly could.  I’ll do my best to summarize…

We got to Rome via the train and immediately when downstairs to the Metro to buy the three-day passes for the four of us, took the Metro to the hotel, and tried to check-in.  “Tried” because we were too early.  We were told we could leave our bags with reception, and then come back in about an hour (1:00p) to finish the process.

Okay, so we dropped the bags and headed to “Alfredo’s” restaurant.  This is the place that fettuccini Alfredo was invented, and we felt compelled to go right to the source, the very restaurant!  Sabrina and Kimberly got the fettuccini, Jacoby got something else (don’t remember), and I had the Eggplant Parmesan.  Great meal!  Expensive, sure enough, but good food, and how can you pass up the birth place of fettuccini?!?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Then we walked back to the hotel, got our room, dropped off the bags, and began our official walking tour of Rome.

-And we walked.  Walked some more.  Walked a bit more, and then just to be different, we walked. 

We were on the go from 1:00p to about 11:30p, if memory serves, and we saw Rome.  We went from our hotel down to the Castel St. Angelo and walked across the bridge with all the Angel statues, each one carrying some aspect of the crucifixion (one Angel carried a cross; one, the shroud; one a spear; one, a thorny crown; etc).  We learned that the Castle was the Vatican stronghold, and was used to protect the Pope in times of extreme unpopularity.  Actually, we knew that, but whatever…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Then we went to the Piazza Navona, with its three fountains and Egyptian Obelisk.  Those who have read Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons will know this as “the Water place.”  Beautiful Piazza!  And Tre Scalini is there, near the center fountain.  Tre Scalini is a gelato shop (Italian ice cream) famous for its truffles.  We had one.  It was good. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went from Piazza Navona to the Trevi Fountain.  Other than saying it’s huge, very detailed, and full of water, I’m not sure what to say about this.  It was crowded, but very cool!  Off to the Pantheon!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found the Pantheon easily enough, walked though it, took some pictures, pretended to know what we were looking at, and then left for the Spanish Steps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found the Spanish steps, named for the Spanish Embassy at their base, and climbed the 137 steps to the top to enjoy the view.  Honestly, not that good a view, but a neat place in its own right.

Now I don’t know how to describe this next thing without making your skin crawl.  I’ll preference this short paragraph by saying it was EXTREMELY, EXCEPTIONALLY COOL, despite being a bit unusual.  Dare I say, gross?  It really wasn’t, but….

They have this cathedral whose interior artwork is made up entirely of the bones of the monks that served there.  There were these huge murals of elaborate designs made from skulls, ribs, femurs, etc, all of them easily recognizable.  We stayed for about 30-minutes looking at this place in awe. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we went to the Hard Rock Café for dinner.

After dinner, we walked down past several fountains, cathedrals, arches, and ruins to the “newish” war memorial/museum which is a large white building at the Northern edge of the Roman Forum.  Just beside that, along with an abundance of the Roman Forum, the Coliseum leaps into view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was determined to be unimpressed with the Coliseum.  We’ve seen it in movies, on TV, photos, books, you name it.  We have the second largest amphitheater in Italy here in Verona (second only to the Coliseum), and it isn’t that big a deal.  Really, how cool could this place be?  I was motivated to be unmoved.  I failed miserably.  What a cool place!  We couldn’t go in the first night, because it was closed, be we walked up to it, took a ton of pictures, marked it as a place we must return, and then moved on. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We walked under the Arch, I don’t know what it’s called, passed the entrance to the Roman Forum (again, closed for the night) and down to the Circus Massimo.  This is the place where they used to have the chariot races.  I’m talking Ben Hur, here.  There is literally nothing left of it, other than the overlooking Roman Forum ruins and the worn ground where people still gather to walk/jog for exercise along the original race route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We finished taking several pictures there, which was fun because at this point the sun was down and stuff was basically dark.  We’d heard that you have to see Rome twice to see it correctly.  Once in the daytime, once at night.  So, we basically retraced our steps back to the Trevi Fountain, then to the Pantheon, then to Piazza Navona, then to the St Angelo, and then back to the hotel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was probably a 10-12 mile walk…

The next morning, we walked to the Vatican to see the Pope.  We got our tickets the day before, so we showed up at the appointed time, waited in the long, slow line, and then got into the great hall were the Pope eventually emerged to talk to us.  He blessed my sun-glasses. (Not really.) But before I get to that…

St. Peter square is awesome.  You can read all about it if you are interested, but what a fantastic place.  The Obelisk is the same, original obelisk that stood on that same ground (300m away) when Peter, the disciple of Jesus, was crucified.  Try to look at the obelisk with that in mind and NOT be impressed!

Back to the Pope.  He eventually came out and took his seat.  Each one of fifteen or so Cardinals gave some opening remarks in their language (Italian, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, and several we didn’t stay for), and the Pope would follow with his address to those people, in that language (mostly, I don’t think he said anything in Polish)!  I don’t know how many languages he speaks, how many he fakes, and how many he just doesn’t attempt, but he sounded fluent in everything we heard!  As part of his address in English, he blessed “all of the religious artifacts we might have brought with us.”  I had my sun-glasses.  Kimberly said they didn’t count.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 After the Pope, or more specifically, after we left the Pope, we toured the Vatican and shopped at the gift shop.  I bought a pair of Rosary Beads, not because I’m Catholic or because I want to be, but I figured we bought a mask in Venice, cheese in Asiago, what I really needed was a pair of Rosary Beads from the Vatican!  -So I did.  I don’t know if they were blessed…

We climbed the 551 steps to the top of St Peter’s Cathedral which overlooks Vatican City, took pictures, and then returned down the same steps to the bottom.  Great views, good exercise, fun times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the Vatican (a long day, already) we headed out to a cathedral for their Vespers service, because it was supposed to be one of the few remaining cathedrals where the monks still chant.  We went, but they weren’t there that day.  No Vespers (or chanting) for us!

Back to the Hard Rock Café for another  (late) dinner. 

The third day, we woke up, and went back to the Coliseum and the Roman Forum.  We bought the tickets, went inside, and saw what there is to see.  Holy cow, did we take some pictures.  Again, the Coliseum is well worth the visit, but the Roman Forum was a surprise.   Everywhere you looked, there where ruins from hundreds or even thousands of years ago.  This was a vast expansive place, chock full of these ruins!  Honestly, you couldn’t tell what to take pictures of because there was just so much of it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At some point, we made it out of the forum, and found the last couple of things we wanted to be sure to see.  One was the statue of Romulus and Remos, the kids raised by wolves.  And the other was the “Mouth of Truth” which is a “plate” with a face on it.  The face has an open mouth.  In ancient times, folks would put their hand in the mouth and answer questions.  If they were thought to be lying, they’d lose their hand!  I’m not sure what method the ax-man used to determine this, but I’m hoping it was a reliable one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 At some point in this trip, before this point, but I’m not sure where, we went to see a modern cathedral, built on a 15^th century cathedral, which was itself built on a 5^th century cathedral.  You could walk down into the recesses and see the older layers of each of the sanctuaries, below.  Just plain awesome.

We then went back to the hotel to get packed, because the next day, we would check out, go on an official tour, and then catch a train for Naples, then Sorrento before dinner.

So we woke up the next morning, moved our bags back to the hotel office, and left for our “Official Angels and Demons Tour.” It was supposed to show us all of the sites mentioned in the book and tells us more about the background and “the rest of the story” about the sites.  It was a neat tour, but it spent way too much time telling us the story (which we’d already read) and not enough time telling us the rest of it, or allowing ample time for loitering and pictures.  Luckily, we’d already seen most of it on our own the preceding three days.

Then we retrieved our bags, and headed for the train to Naples, where we caught the train to Sorrento.